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The Pauly Shore guide to PR and marketing

A press release flashed across our desk this week announcing that Pauly Shore, the long-forgotten ’90s MTV personality turned actor, is inviting people to create their own 30-second commercial, which will air on the Youtoo TV network.

One user will win a free trip to Los Angeles to spend the day with Shore and get the “Paulywood experience.”

“Everyone can have their 15 minutes of fame in 2012, but during the month of January, I'll pick up the tab," Shore said in the press release.

Of course, anyone who’s ever heard Shore talk knows he probably said, “I’ll pick up the ta-ab.” After all, the man’s patois is its own fun-filled, jargon-packed party of one. But that doesn’t mean his eccentric dialect should go extinct. Like any foreign language, it just takes a little time and practice to fully grasp.

Regrettably, Rosetta Stone doesn’t offer a program on the native tongue of “Paulywood.” And that’s too bad, because many of the actor’s most notable movie roles offer lessons in communications and marketing.

Don’t believe us? Here are five lessons from his various movies.
1. “Wheeze a little ju-uice.” (Encino Man)

In the movie “Encino Man,” Shore’s character Stoney is a sucker for the wonders of the convenience store. From Milk Duds to microwavable burritos, he will giddily devour almost anything. But the most delicious treasure behind those glass doors is undisputedly the Icee, for which Stoney has an insatiable thirst—and he touts the Icee throughout the movie.

Is that the kind of passion you have for your client’s product or service?

Competition is tough in any market. A company needs to feel that its PR or marketing team won’t abandon it for some cheap imitation sno-cone. And that doesn’t mean you should be a yes man or woman when it comes to your client’s ideas. If Stoney were to slurp a vile-tasting Icee, he’d certainly let the convenience store clerk know.

Blind devotion is bad when you’re consuming frozen drinks—just as it is in marketing and PR.

Charisma, as Shore’s character Crawl explains, is “a special quality of leadership that captures the popular imagination and inspires allegiance and devotion.”

Seriously, that’s the line.

In the movie, Crawl is brought to his roommate’s home in rural South Dakota, where she claims they are engaged to be married. (They aren’t.)

At first, Crawl horrifies his prospective in-laws, a conservative farm family, before ultimately winning them over. You know how he does it? Charisma. It’s the type of quality that not only charms skeptical Midwesterners, but also sells pitches, persuades the media, and transforms a business into an enduring brand.

Without charisma, you don’t stand a chance before a packed boardroom—or a kitchen full of in-laws.

It’s rare that a client’s purse strings are left unclenched. Even with high-dollar accounts, budgets exist. You can ask for more fundage, as does Shore’s character Bobby Zimmeruski—who is best buds with Goofy’s son, naturally—but chances are it won’t come (at least not until you show a proven return on investment).

That’s why you need to be careful and creative with the cash flow. For instance, how much are you spending on social media? Are you dumping all of your money into one platform or spreading out? Which one is more effective?

In “Bio-Dome,” Shore’s character Doyle just can’t seem to find a cause that suits him. He’s not qualified for Hands Across America or Farm Aid. As for Save the Whales, well, “Salt water makes Doyle bloat,” as his friend Bud says.

Finding a cause to support is important for a company, and brands shouldn’t make excuses when they’re looking for one to support. Just make sure to find one that fits; there should be some link or connection between the brand and the cause.
5. “It’s not a job—it’s an adventure.” (In the Army Now)

In this combat-zone romp, Shore’s character Bones Conway joins the Army and, even though he thought it’d never happen, gets shipped off to war.

Being “In the Army Now” is an obvious adventure. Meanwhile, working in PR and marketing is it owns type of adventure (and stressful, too).

PR professionals know that no two days are the same. On Monday, you’re writing a pitch email; on Tuesday, you’re defusing a crisis; on Wednesday, you’re drafting a social media strategy for a client—and the week is only half over.